Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
قل -أيها الرسول- للذين كفروا بالله ورسوله: يا أيها الكافرون بالله.
سورة الكافرون: ثبت في صحيح مسلم عن جابر أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ بهذه السورة وبـ "قل هو الله أحد" في ركعتي الطواف وفي صحيح مسلم من حديث أبي هريرة ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ بهما في ركعتي الفجر وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا وكيع حدثنا إسرائيل عن أبي إسحاق عن مجاهد عن ابن عمر أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قرأ في الركعتين قبل الفجر والركعتين بعد المغرب بضعا وعشرين مرة أو بضع عشرة مرة "قل يا أيها الكافرون" و "قل هو الله أحد". وقال أحمد أيضا حدثنا محمد بن عبدالله بن الزبير حدثنا إسرائيل عن أبي إسحاق عن مجاهد عن ابن عمر قال رمقت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أربعا وعشرين أو خمسا وعشرين مرة يقرأ في الركعتين قبل الفجر والركعتين بعد المغرب بـ "قل يا أيها الكافرون" و "قل هو الله أحد". وقال أحمد حدثنا أبو أحمد هو محمد بن عبدالله بن الزبير حدثنا سفيان هو الثوري عن أبي إسحاق عن مجاهد عن ابن عمر قال رمقت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم شهرا وكان يقرأ في الركعتين قبل الفجر بـ "قل يا أيها الكافرون" و "قل هو الله أحد" وكذا رواه الترمذي وابن ماجه من حديث أبي أحمد الزبيري وأخرجه النسائي من وجه آخر عن أبي إسحاق به وقال الترمذي هذا حديث حسن وقد تقدم في الحديث أنها تعدل ربع القرآن وإذا زلزلت تعدل ربع القرآن وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا هاشم بن القاسم حدثنا زهير حدثنا أبو إسحاق عن فروة بن نوفل هو ابن معاوية عن أبيه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال له "هل لك في ربيبة لنا تكفلها؟" قال أراها زينب قال ثم جاء فسأله النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عنها قال "ما فعلت الجارية؟" قال تركتها عند أمها قال "فمجيء ما جاء بك" قال جئت لتعلمني شيئا أقوله عند منامي قال "اقرأ "قل يا أيها الكافرون" ثم نم على خاتمتها فإنها براءة من الشرك". تفرد به أحمد وقال أبو القاسم الطبراني حدثنا أحمد بن عمر القطراني حدثنا محمد بن الطفيل حدثنا شريك عن أبي إسحاق عن جبلة بن حارثه وهو أخو زيد بن حارثة أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال "إذا أويت إلى فراشك فاقرأ "قل يا أيها الكافرون" حتى تمر بآخرها فإنها براءة من الشرك". وروى الطبراني من طريق شريك عن جابر عن معقل الزبيدي عن عبدالرحمن بن أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا أخذ مضجعه قرأ "قل يا أيها الكافرون" حتى يختمها. وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا حجاج حدثنا شريك عن أبي إسحاق عن فروة بن نوفل عن الحارث بن جبلة قال: قلت يا رسول الله علمني شيئا أقوله عند منامي قال "إذا أخذت مضجعك من الليل فاقرأ "قل يا أيها الكافرون" فإنها براءة من الشرك" والله أعلم. هذه السورة سورة البراءة من العمل الذي يعمله المشركون وهي آمره بالإخلاص فيه فقوله "قل يا أيها الكافرون" يشمل كل كافر على وجه الأرض ولكن المواجهون بهذا الخطاب هم كفار قريش وقيل إنهم من جهلهم دعوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى عبادة أوثانهم سنة ويعبدون معبوده سنة فأنزل الله هذه السورة وأمر رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيها أن يتبرأ من دينهم بالكلية.
أى : قل - أيها الرسول الكريم - لهؤلاء المشركين الذين جاؤوك ليساوموك على أن تعبد آلهتهم مدة ، وهم يعبدون إلهك مدة أخرى . . قل لهم على سبيل الحزم والتأكيد " لا أعبد " أنا الذى تعبدونه من آلهة باطلة ، ولا أنتم عابدون الإِله الحق الذى أعبده ، لجهلكم وجحودكم . وعكوفكم على ما كان عليه آباؤكم من ضلال .وافتتحت السورة الكريمة بفعل الأمر " قل " للاهتمام لما سيأتى بعده من كلام المقصود منه إبلاغه إليهم ، وتكليفهم بالعمل به .ونودوا بوصف الكافرين ، لأنهم كانوا كذلك ، ولأن فى هذا النداء تحقيرا واستخفافا بهم .
القول في تأويل قوله جل ثناؤه وتقدست أسماؤه: قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ (1)يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم, وكان المشركون من قومه فيما ذكر عرضوا عليه أن يعبدوا الله سنة, على أن يعبد نبيّ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم آلهتهم سنة, فأنـزل الله معرفه جوابهم في ذلك: ( قُلْ ) يا محمد لهؤلاء المشركين الذين سألوك عبادة آلهتهم سنة, على أن يعبدوا إلهك سنة ( يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ) بالله ( لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ ) من الآلهة والأوثان الآن ( وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ ) الآن( وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ ) فيما أستقبل( مَا عَبَدْتُمْ ) فيما مضى ( وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ ) فيما تستقبلون أبدا( مَا أَعْبُدُ ) أنا الآن, وفيما أستقبل. وإنما قيل ذلك كذلك, لأن الخطاب من الله كان لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في أشخاص بأعيانهم من المشركين, قد علم أنهم لا يؤمنون أبدا , وسبق لهم ذلك في السابق من علمه, فأمر نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يؤيسهم من الذي طمعوا فيه, وحدّثوا به أنفسهم, وأن ذلك غير كائن منه ولا منهم, في وقت من الأوقات, وآيس نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من الطمع في إيمانهم, ومن أن يفلحوا أبدا, فكانوا كذلك لم يفلحوا ولم ينجحوا, إلى أن قتل بعضهم يوم بدر بالسيف, وهلك بعض قبل ذلك كافرا.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل, وجاءت به الآثار.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن موسى الحَرشي, قال: ثنا أبو خلف, قال: ثنا داود, عن عكرِمة, عن ابن عباس: أن قريشا وعدوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يعطوه مالا فيكون أغنى رجل بمكة, ويزّوجوه ما أراد من النساء, ويطئوا عقبه, فقالوا له: هذا لك عندنا يا محمد, وكفّ عن شتم آلهتنا, فلا تذكرها بسوء, فإن لم تفعل, فإنا نعرض عليك خصلة واحدة, فهي لك ولنا فيها صلاح. قال: " ما هي؟" قالوا: تعبد آلهتنا سنة: اللات والعزى, ونعبد إلهك سنة, قال: " حتى أنْظُرَ ما يأْتي مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبّي", فجاء الوحي من اللوح المحفوظ: ( قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ) السورة, وأنـزل الله: قُلْ أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَأْمُرُونِّي أَعْبُدُ أَيُّهَا الْجَاهِلُونَ ... إلى قوله: فَاعْبُدْ وَكُنْ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ .حدثني يعقوب, قال: ثنا ابن عُلَية, عن محمد بن إسحاق, قال: ثني سعيد بن مينا مولى البَختري (1) قال: لقي الوليد بن المُغيرة والعاص بن وائل, والأسود بن المطلب, وأميَّة بن خلف, رسول الله, فقالوا: يا محمد, هلمّ فلنعبد ما تعبد, وتعبدْ ما نعبد, ونُشركك في أمرنا كله, فإن كان الذي جئت به خيرا مما بأيدينا، كنا قد شَرِكناك فيه, وأخذنا بحظنا منه; وإن كان الذي بأيدينا خيرا مما في يديك, كنت قد شَرِكتنا في أمرنا, وأخذت منه بحظك, فأنـزل الله: ( قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ) حتى انقضت السورة .
مكية( قل يا أيها الكافرون ) إلى آخر السورة .نزلت في رهط من قريش منهم : الحارث بن قيس السهمي ، والعاص بن وائل ، والوليد بن المغيرة ، [ والأسود ] بن عبد يغوث ، والأسود بن المطلب بن أسد ، وأمية بن خلف ، قالوا : يا محمد [ هلم فاتبع ] ديننا ونتبع دينك ونشركك في أمرنا كله ، تعبد آلهتنا سنة ونعبد إلهك سنة ، فإن كان الذي جئت به خيرا كنا قد شركناك فيه وأخذنا حظنا منه ، وإن كان الذي بأيدينا خيرا كنت قد شركتنا في أمرنا وأخذت بحظك منه ، فقال : معاذ الله أن أشرك به غيره ، قالوا : فاستلم بعض آلهتنا نصدقك ونعبد إلهك ، فقال : حتى أنظر ما يأتي من عند ربي ، فأنزل الله - عز وجل - : " قل يا أيها الكافرون " إلى آخر السورة ، فغدا رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - إلى المسجد الحرام وفيه الملأ من قريش ، فقام على رءوسهم ثم قرأها عليهم حتى فرغ من السورة ، فأيسوا منه عند ذلك وآذوه وأصحابه .
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ (1) افتتاحها ب { قلْ } للاهتمام بما بعد القول بأنه كلام يراد إبلاغه إلى الناس بوجه خاص منصوص فيه على أنه مرسل بقول يبلغه وإلا فإن القرآن كله مأمور بإبلاغه ، ولهذه الآية نظائر في القرآن مفتتحة بالأمر بالقول في غير جواببٍ عن سؤال منها : { قل يا أيها الذين هادوا إن زعمتم أنكم أولياء للَّه } في سورة الجمعة ( 6 ) . والسور المفتتحة بالأمر بالقول خمس سور : { قل أوحي } [ الجن : 1 ] ، وسورة الكافرون ، وسورة الإخلاص ، والمعوّذتان ، فالثلاث الأول لقول يبلِّغه ، والمعوّذتان لقول يقوله لتعويذ نفسه .والنداء موجه إلى الأربعة الذين قالوا للنبيء صلى الله عليه وسلم فلنعبد ما تعبد وتعبد ما نعبد ، كما في خبر سبب النزول وذلك الذي يقتضيه قوله : { ولا أنتم عابدون ما أعبد } كما سيأتي .وابتدىء خطابهم بالنداء لإِبلاغهم ، لأن النداء يستدعي إقبال أذهانهم على ما سيلقى عليهم .ونُودوا بوصف الكافرين تحقيراً لهم وتأييداً لوجه التبرؤ منهم وإيذاناً بأنه لا يخشاهم إذا ناداهم بما يَكرهون مما يثير غضبهم لأن الله كفاه إياهم وعصمه من أذاهم . قال القرطبي : قال أبو بكر بن الأنباري : إن المعنى : قل للذين كفروا يا أيها الكافرون أن يعتمدهم في ناديهم فيقول لهم : يا أيها الكافرون ، وهم يغضبون من أن ينسبوا إلى الكفر .
أي: قل للكافرين معلنا ومصرحًا
سورة الكافرونوهي ست آياتوهي مكية في قول ابن مسعود والحسن وعكرمة . ومدنية في أحد قولي ابن عباس وقتادة والضحاك وفي الترمذي من حديث أنس : أنها تعدل ثلث القرآن . وفي كتاب ( الرد لأبي بكر الأنباري ) : أخبرنا عبد الله بن ناجية قال : حدثنا يوسف قال حدثنا القعنبي وأبو نعيم عن موسى بن وردان عن أنس ، قال : قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : قل يأيها الكافرون تعدل ربع القرآن . ورواه موقوفا عن أنس . وخرج الحافظ أبو محمد عبد الغني بن سعيد عن ابن عمر قال : صلى النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بأصحابه صلاة الفجر في سفر ، فقرأ قل يأيها الكافرون . و قل هو الله أحد ، ثم قال : قرأت بكم ثلث القرآن وربعه . وروى جبير بن مطعم أن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال : " أتحب يا جبير إذا خرجت سفرا أن تكون من أمثل أصحابك هيئة وأكثرهم زادا " ؟ قلت : نعم . قال : " فاقرأ هذه السور الخمس من أول قل يا أيها الكافرون إلى - قل أعوذ برب الناس وافتتح قراءتك ببسم الله الرحمن الرحيم " . قال : فوالله لقد كنت غير كثير المال ، إذا سافرت أكون أبذهم هيئة ، وأقلهم زادا ، فمذ قرأتهن صرت من أحسنهم هيئة ، وأكثرهم زادا ، حتى أرجع من سفري ذلك . وقال فروة بن نوفل الأشجعي : قال رجل للنبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : أوصني قال : " اقرأ عند منامك قل يأيها الكافرون ، فإنها براءة من الشرك " . خرجه أبو بكر [ ص: 200 ] الأنباري وغيره . وقال ابن عباس : ليس في القرآن أشد غيظا لإبليس منها ؛ لأنها توحيد وبراءة من الشرك . وقال الأصمعي : كان يقال لـ قل يأيها الكافرون ، وقل هو الله أحد المقشقشتان ؛ أي أنهما تبرئان من النفاق . وقال أبو عبيدة : كما يقشقش الهناء الجرب فيبرئه . وقال ابن السكيت : يقال للقرح والجدري إذا يبس وتقرف ، وللجرب في الإبل إذا قفل : قد توسف جلده ، وتقشر جلده ، وتقشقش جلده .بسم الله الرحمن الرحيمقل يا أيها الكافرون ذكر ابن إسحاق وغيره عن ابن عباس : أن سبب نزولها أن الوليد بن المغيرة ، والعاص بن وائل ، والأسود بن عبد المطلب ، وأمية بن خلف ؛ لقوا رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - فقالوا : يا محمد ، هلم فلنعبد ما تعبد ، وتعبد ما نعبد ، ونشترك نحن وأنت في أمرنا كله ، فإن كان الذي جئت به خيرا مما بأيدينا ، كنا قد شاركناك فيه ، وأخذنا بحظنا منه . وإن كان الذي بأيدينا خيرا مما بيدك ، كنت قد شركتنا في أمرنا ، وأخذت بحظك منه ؛ فأنزل الله - عز وجل - قل يا أيها الكافرون .وقال أبو صالح عن ابن عباس : أنهم قالوا لرسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : لو استلمت بعض هذه الآلهة لصدقناك ؛ فنزل جبريل على النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بهذه السورة فيئسوا منه ، وآذوه ، وآذوا أصحابه . والألف واللام ترجع إلى معنى المعهود وإن كانت للجنس من حيث إنها كانت صفة لأي ؛ لأنها مخاطبة لمن سبق في علم الله تعالى أنه سيموت على كفره ، فهي من الخصوص الذي جاء بلفظ العموم . ونحوه عن الماوردي : نزلت جوابا ، وعنى بالكافرين قوما معينين . لا جميع الكافرين ؛ لأن منهم من آمن ، فعبد الله ، ومنهم من مات أو قتل على كفره . ، وهم المخاطبون بهذا القول ، وهم المذكورون . قال أبو بكر بن الأنباري : وقرأ من طعن في القرآن : قل للذين كفروا لا أعبد ما تعبدون ، وزعم أن ذلك هو الصواب ، وذلك افتراء على رب العالمين ، وتضعيف لمعنى هذه السورة ، وإبطال ما قصده الله من أن يذل نبيه للمشركين بخطابه إياهم [ ص: 201 ] بهذا الخطاب الزري ، وإلزامهم ما يأنف منه كل ذي لب وحجا . وذلك أن الذي يدعيه من اللفظ الباطل ، قراءتنا تشتمل عليه في المعنى ، وتزيد تأويلا ليس عندهم في باطلهم وتحريفهم . فمعنى قراءتنا : قل للذين كفروا : يأيها الكافرون ؛ دليل صحة هذا : أن العربي إذا قال لمخاطبه : قل لزيد : أقبل إلينا ، فمعناه قل لزيد : يا زيد أقبل إلينا . فقد وقعت قراءتنا على كل ما عندهم ، وسقط من باطلهم أحسن لفظ وأبلغ معنى ؛ إذ كان الرسول - عليه السلام - يعتمدهم في ناديهم ، فيقول لهم : يأيها الكافرون . وهو يعلم أنهم يغضبون من أن ينسبوا إلى الكفر ، ويدخلوا في جملة أهله إلا وهو محروس ممنوع من أن تنبسط عليه منهم يد ، أو تقع به من جهتهم أذية . فمن لم يقرأ : قل يأيها الكافرون ، كما أنزلها الله ، أسقط آية لرسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - . وسبيل أهل الإسلام ألا يسارعوا إلى مثلها ، ولا يعتمدوا نبيهم باختزال الفضائل عنه ، التي منحه الله إياها ، وشرفه بها .وأما وجه التكرار فقد قيل إنه للتأكيد في قطع أطماعهم ؛ كما تقول : والله لا أفعل كذا ، ثم والله لا أفعله . قال أكثر أهل المعاني : نزل القرآن بلسان العرب ، ومن مذاهبهم التكرار إرادة التأكيد والإفهام ، كما أن من مذاهبهم الاختصار إرادة التخفيف والإيجاز ؛ لأن خروج الخطيب والمتكلم من شيء إلى شيء أولى من اقتصاره في المقام على شيء واحد ؛ قال الله تعالى : فبأي آلاء ربكما تكذبان . ويل يومئذ للمكذبين . كلا سيعلمون ثم كلا سيعلمون . و فإن مع العسر يسرا إن مع العسر يسرا . كل هذا على التأكيد . وقد يقول القائل : ارم ارم ، أعجل أعجل ؛ ومنه قوله - عليه السلام - في الحديث الصحيح : فلا آذن ، ثم لا آذن ، إنما فاطمة بضعة مني . خرجه مسلم . وقال الشاعر :هلا سألت جموع كندة يوم ولوا أين أيناوقال آخر :يا لبكر أنشروا لي كليبا يا لبكر أين أين الفراروقال آخر :يا علقمه يا علقمه يا علقمه خير تميم كلها وأكرمه[ ص: 202 ] وقال آخر :يا أقرع بن حابس يا أقرع إنك إن يصرع أخوك تصرعوقال آخر :ألا يا اسلمي ثم اسلمي ثمت اسلمي ثلاث تحيات وإن لم تكلمومثله كثير . وقيل : هذا على مطابقة قولهم : تعبد آلهتنا ونعبد إلهك ، ثم نعبد آلهتنا ونعبد إلهك ، ثم تعبد آلهتنا ونعبد إلهك ، فنجري على هذا أبدا سنة وسنة . فأجيبوا عن كل ما قالوه بضده ؛ أي إن هذا لا يكون أبدا .
This chapter of the Quran, containing six verses, was revealed in the last days of the Makkan period. In the beginning the Prophet used to address people as ‘O my people’ or ‘O my community’. But when in spite of completion of the arguments, the people did not accept him, he addressed them as ‘You who deny the Truth’. At this stage, in fact, this is a statement given directly by God. No human being enjoys the right to declare anyone a deniar. God asks the Prophet not to force non-believers into the faith. The Prophet’s duty was only to bear witness to the truth, spreading the message of God to everyone, without imposing it upon anyone. When, after 13 long years of unremitting efforts, people were not willing to believe, then the Prophet was told by God to say to the unbelievers, ‘I do not worship what you worship, nor do you worship what I worship.’ After the Prophet had fully conveyed God’s message to the people, He was exempted from obligation towards those who rejected his call. This chapter teaches us to practice tolerance towards non-Muslims and tells us to treat them with respect. In his mission to invite the people of Makkah to God’s path, the Prophet was filled with a sense of deep concern for the welfare of those he was addressing, and even though they heaped all sorts of oppression on him, he always beseeched God to guide them. The Prophet continued to do this steadfastly throughout the thirteen long years after receiving his prophethood in Makkah. Even after that, he did not refer to these people as kafirs on his own. It was only later that God revealed this commandment: ‘Say, ‘You who deny the truth’. From this it appears that it was only after these thirteen years of the Prophet’s dedicated mission in Makkah that God declared, those whom the Prophet had addressed but who had rejected him, as ‘deniers’, and it was then that God revealed this commandment.
Virtues and Characteristics of the Surah
Sayyidah ` A'shah ؓ reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said that it is better to recite two surahs in the sunnah prayer of fajr, namely, the Surah Al-Kafirun and Surah Al-Ikhlas. [ Transmitted by Ibn Hisham as quoted by Mazhar ]. Ibn Kathir cites several traditions in which a large number of Companions report that they heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ often recite Surah Al-Kafiru` n and Al-Ikhlas in the sunnah prayer of fajr and maghrib. Some of the Companions requested the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to teach them some supplications to recite at the time of sleeping. He taught them to recite Surah Al-Kafirun and said that this will give them immunity from idolatry. [ Transmitted by Tirmidhi and Abu Dad ]. Sayyidna Jubair Ibn Mut'im ؓ says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him whether he wished to be the happiest, most prosperous and well-to-do person among his comrades when he goes out on a journey. He replied: "Yes, Messenger of Allah, I certainly do wish that." The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him to recite the last five surahs of the Qur'an starting from Surah Al-Kafirun to the end, and to start every surah with Bismillah, and to end with Bismillah. Sayyidna Jubair ؓ says that in those days he used to be distressed, miserable and man of little provisions for journeys compared to his comrades. But when he started acting upon this teaching of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، he became more prosperous than others. [ Mazhari with reference to Abu Ya` la ]. Sayyidna Ali ؓ reports that once a scorpion bit the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، so he asked for water and salt. He applied the water on the spot where the scorpion bit him, and he recited Surah Al-Kafirun, Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas. [ Mazhari ]
Cause of Revelation
Ibn Ishaq reports from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that Walid Ibn Mughirah, ` As Ibn Wa'il, Aswad Ibn ` Abdul-Muttalib and Umayyah Ibn Khalaf approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and proposed a compromise to him to the effect that he should worship their idols for a year, and they would worship Allah for a year. [ Qurtubi ]. According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، as recorded in Tabarani, the pagans of Makkah proposed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : We shall give you so much of wealth that you will become the richest man in Makkah; we shall give you whichever woman you like in marriage; we are willing to follow and obey you as our leader on condition that you do not speak ill of our gods. If you do not agree to this, then let us agree that you worship our gods for a year and we would worship your God for another year" [ Mazhari ].
According to Abu Salih's report, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ narrates that the pagans of Makkah made the following proposal for compromise: "At least touch some of our gods, we will believe in you." Upon this, Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) descended with Surah Al-Kafirun.
This Surah is the Surah of disavowal from the actions of the pagans, and enjoins the Muslims to worship Allah alone to the exclusion of all forms of pagan worship.
The Traditions cited above indicate that the pagans had made many proposals to the Holy Prophet ﷺ not once or in a single session, but on different occasions and in different sessions in the hope that at one time or another a compromise might be reached. Therefore, there was a need to respond to all the proposals definitely and decisively, and thus frustrate their hope once and for all. All these incidents might have taken place at different times and different places. The purport of the Surah is to prevent or prohibit any such compromise.
Verse [ 109:2] لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ (I do not worship that which you worship,) In this Surah, the statements are repeated. The repetition has been explained in different ways by different authorities. Bukhari explains it thus: When two identical, or near identical, expressions occur side by side, many commentators interpret one of them as happening in the present time and the other as going to happen in the future time. Thus there is no meaningless repetition. The second and the third verses refer to the present time, meaning 'I do not worship at the present time what you are worshipping, nor do you worship at the present time what I am worshipping'. That is, 'I believe in Oneness of Allah and worship Him only, whereas you believe in multiple gods and goddesses and worship them'. Verses [ 4 and 5] refer to the future time, meaning 'neither is there a possibility that I will ever worship what you are going to worship in the future, nor will you worship what I will persist in worshipping.' In other words, 'I will persist in my belief of Divine Oneness and worship of Him and you will persist in belief of multiple gods and goddesses and worship of them'. Maulana Ashraf Thanawi (رح) has preferred this interpretation in Bayan ul-Qur'an, (and the translation given above is based on it.) However, he disagrees with Bukhari’ s interpretation of the word din, which Bukhari interprets as 'the religion of disbelief and the religion of Islam' respectively, in verse [ 6] لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ "For you is your faith, and for me, my faith" meaning the proposed compromise or peace agreement is not acceptable. I shall continue to follow my faith and you may go on following your faith, and suffer its disastrous consequences. In Bayan ul-Qur'an, however, the word din has been interpreted as jaza' or 'retribution or requital'.
Ibn Kathir prefers another interpretation. He expounds that the particle ma is used in two ways: [ 1] as mawsulah or relative pronoun in the sense of al-ladhi [ that which ]; and [ 2] as masdariyah transforming into infinitive the verb it governs. In this Surah, the first ma is a relative pronoun in the sense of al-ladhi, and the second ma is an infinitival particle. Thus in verses [ 2 3] the particle is a relative pronoun and may be paraphrased thus: 'I do not worship the deities that you worship nor do you worship the One Whom I worship' and in verses [ 4 5] the particle is an infinitival particle and may be paraphrased thus: لَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ ' I will never adopt your mode or manner of worship, nor will you adopt the manner in which I worship'. In this way, verses [ 2 3] show that the objects of worship are different from each other, and verses [ 45] show the differences in the modes of worship. In sum, 'neither our objects of worship, nor our manner of worship, are commonly shared by us; they are different.' In this way, it is seen that there is no real repetition, because while the formal expressions might be identical or near identical, but deeper semantic meanings are different. The mode of worship was revealed to the Prophet by Allah and passed on to the Muslims through him. The pagan manner of worship is self-fabricated. Ibn Kathir prefers this interpretation, and says that this is the exact meaning that emanates from the credo of Islam: لا إلہ إلا اللہ محمد الرسول اللہ "There is no object worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah". Only the mode and manner of worship sanctioned by Allah is credible, and should be followed by Muslims. Ibn Kathir adds that the concluding verse لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ (For you is your faith, and for me, my faith) yields the sense of other verses in the Qur'an, as for instance in [ 10: 41] وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّي عَمَلِي وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ ; And if they belie you, say, for me, my deeds, and for you, your deeds and in [ 28:55] لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ (For us, our deeds, and for you, your deeds). Thus the sum total of the word din, according to Ibn Kathir, refers to the 'deeds of religion' and its purport would be the same as explicated in Bayan ul-Qur'an, in that each one will be requited for his own deeds.
Other commentators have interpreted the two sentences in a third way. According to them, the particle is retained in both places as a relative pronoun, and in both the sentence is taken as representing present tense. They in fact maintain that the repetition of the two sentences have been used as a rhetorical device and employed by deliberate design to secure emphasis. Not every repetition is unpleasant or meaningless, even though the same idea may be reiterated by the same wording, as for instance in [ 94: 56] فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا (Undoubtedly, along with hardship there is ease. Undoubtedly, along with hardship there is ease) Verse [ 6] is the repetition of verse [ 5] and is deliberately reiterated to secure emphasis, as well as to reject outright the several proposals made on different occasions. [ Ibn Kathir, Ibn Jarir ].
Peace Treaty with Unbelievers is Permissible in Some Cases but not in Others
Surah Al-Kafirun dismisses out of hand the many proposals of compromise offered by the pagans and declares dissociation from them. But the Holy Qur'an itself has said in [ 8:61] وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا (And if they tilt towards peace, you tilt towards it." that is, enter into peace treaty with the infidels or pagans or non-Muslims. Moreover, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ migrated to Madinah, he entered into peace treaty with the Jews. Therefore, some of the commentators have opined that Surah Al-Kafirun has been abrogated. Their basic argument pivots around the verse لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ (For you is your faith, and for me, my faith). They contend that this is apparently in conflict with the ordinances of jihad, but this is not true, because the verse does not guarantee, nor does it even permit the infidels to maintain their infidelity. It simply means what is stated in [ 28:55] لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ (For us, our deeds, and for you, your deeds), that is, as you sow, so shall you reap. In fact, the correct position held by the majority of the scholars is that this Surah is not abrogated. The proposals of compromise that were offered by the pagans at the time of the revelation of the present Surah are still prohibited, and the peace treaties allowed by 8:61 or entered into by the Holy Prophet ﷺ are still permissible. It is necessary to understand the circumstances and conditions of the treaty and take a proper decision accordingly. In one of his Traditions, the Holy Prophet ﷺ laid down the general principle of peace treaty with the infidels and pagans, thus: اَلاِصلحاً احَلّ حراماً او حرّم حلالاً (Every compromise is permitted except the one which turns prohibited things into lawful and lawful things into forbidden.) If the various peace proposals made by the pagans are carefully analyzed, they were all certainly and definitely purported to mix elements of pagan beliefs and practices with Islamic beliefs and practices, thus creating confusion; and in some cases they required Muslims to renounce Islam [ albeit temporarily ] and commit themselves to paganism. Surah Al-Kafirun denounces such treaties, and declares dissociation from paganism. Analyzing the peace pact with the Jews, on the other hand, it is seen clearly that it did not in any way require Muslims to denounce or renounce Islam, nor did it require them to mix elements of un-Islamic beliefs with the true faith. Islam is the religion that stands for tolerance, kindness, politeness and peace more than any other religion. However, all these ethical principles can be applied in the matters of human rights. There is no room for compromise in the matter of Divine Law or the basic tenets of Divine religion . Allah knows best!
Al-hamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Kafirun
Ends here
denounces such treaties, and declares dissociation from paganism. Analyzing the peace pact with the Jews, on the other hand, it is seen clearly that it did not in any way require Muslims to denounce or renounce Islam, nor did it require them to mix elements of un-Islamic beliefs with the true faith. Islam is the religion that stands for tolerance, kindness, politeness and peace more than any other religion. However, all these ethical principles can be applied in the matters of human rights. There is no room for compromise in the matter of Divine Law or the basic tenets of Divine religion. Allah knows best!
And from his narration on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas that he said regarding the interpretation of Allah's saying (Say: O disbelievers!): '(Say: O disbelievers!) a group of people who derided the Prophet (pbuh) among whom were al-'As Ibn Wa'il al-Sahmi and al-Walid Ibn al-Mughirah, said to the Prophet: �O Muhammad! Surrender to our deity so that we worship the God you worship�. And so Allah said addressing his Prophet: Say, O Muhammad, to these deriders, O disbelievers who mock Allah and the Qur'an.
Say, �O disbelievers!He said:The mentioning of the [command] Say, is merely in response to the request put [to the Prophet ] by the disbelievers, �Worship our god for a month and we will worship your God for a year.� At their saying this, God, Exalted is He, sent down this sūra. He said, Say, �O disbelievers! They returned with, �What is the matter with you, O Muḥammad?� He replied [with God�s words]:
Which was revealed in Makkah
The Recitation of these Surahs in the Optional Prayers
It has been confirmed in Sahih Muslim from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this Surah (Al-Kafirun) and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: "He is Allah One.") (112:1) in the two Rak`ahs of Tawaf. It is also recorded in Sahih Muslim in a Hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited these two Surahs in the two Rak`ahs (optional prayer) of the Morning prayer. Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited in the two Rak`ahs before the Morning prayer and the two Rak`ahs after the Sunset prayer on approximately ten or twenty different occasions,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O Al-Kafirun!") and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: " He is Allah One.") (112:1) Ahmad also recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I watched the Prophet twenty-four or twenty-five times reciting in the two Rak`ahs before the Morning prayer and the two Rak`ahs after the Sunset prayer,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O Al-Kafirun!") and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: "He is Allah One.") (112:1)" Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I watched the Prophet for a month and he would recite in the two Rak`ahs before the Morning prayer,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O Al-Kafirun.") and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: "He is Allah One.") (112:1)" This was also recor- ded by At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and An-Nasa'i. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan." It has already been mentioned previously in a Hadith that it (Surat Al-Kafirun) is equivalent to a fourth of the Qur'an and Az-Zalzalah is equivalent to a fourth of the Qur'an.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Declaration of Innocence from Shirk
This Surah is the Surah of disavowal from the deeds of the idolators. It commands a complete disavowal of that. Allah's statement,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O disbelievers!") includes every disbeliever on the face of the earth, however, this statement is particularly directed towards the disbelievers of the Quraysh. It has been said that in their ignorance they invited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to worship their idols for a year and they would (in turn) worship his God for a year. Therefore, Allah revealed this Surah and in it
He commanded His Messenger to disavow himself from their religion completely
Allah said,
لاَ أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
(I worship not that which you worship.) meaning, statues and rival gods.
وَلاَ أَنتُمْ عَـبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
(Nor will you worship whom I worship.) and He is Allah Alone, Who has no partner. So the word Ma (what) here means Man (who). Then Allah says,
وَلاَ أَنَآ عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلاَ أَنتُمْ عَـبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
(And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping. Nor will you worship whom I worship.) meaning, `I do not worship according to your worship, which means that I do not go along with it or follow it. I only worship Allah in the manner in which He loves and is pleased with.' Thus, Allah says,
وَلاَ أَنتُمْ عَـبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
(Nor will you worship whom I worship.) meaning, `you do not follow the commands of Allah and His Legislation in His worship. Rather, you have invented something out of the promptings of your own souls.' This is as Allah says,
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الاٌّنفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى
(They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the guidance from their Lord!) (53:23) Therefore, the disavowal is from all of what they are involved. For certainly the worshipper must have a god whom he worships and set acts of worship that he follows to get to him. So the Messenger and his followers worship Allah according to what He has legislated. This is why the statement of Islam is "There is no God worthy of being worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah." This means that there is no (true) object of worship except Allah and there is no path to Him (i.e., way of worshipping Him) other than that which the Messenger came with. The idolators worship other than Allah, with acts of worship that Allah has not allowed. This is why the Messenger said to them,
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ
(To you be your religion, and to me my religion.) This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّى عَمَلِى وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ أَنتُمْ بَرِيئُونَ مِمَّآ أَعْمَلُ وَأَنَاْ بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
(And if they belie you, say: "For me are my deeds and for you are your deeds! You are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what you do!") (10:41) and He said,
لَنَآ أَعْمَـلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـلُكُمْ
(To us our deeds, and to you your deeds.) (28:55) Al-Bukhari said, "It has been said,
لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ
(To you be your religion.) means disbelief.
وَلِىَ دِينِ
(and to me my religion.) means, Islam. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Qul ya Ayyuhal-Kafirun.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
Say: “O unbelievers!” ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbbās said that no surah is more difficult and harsher for Satan than this surah, because it is sheer tawḤīd and disavowal of associationism. TawḤīd is of two sorts: the tawḤīd of attestation and the tawḤīd of recognition. The tawḤīd of attestation is to say one, and the tawḤīd of recognition is know one. “To say one” is to bear witness to God's oneness and purity in Essence and attributes. In Es- sence He is pure of spouse, child, and partner, and in attributes He is pure of similar, equal, and pointer. His attributes are not intelligible, their “how” is not understood, comprehended, or lim- ited. They are outside of imagination and understanding, and no one knows how they are. “To know one” is to know that He is one in blessings and bounties, that the giver and bestower is He, and that He is one in apportioning and beneficence. It is He who is one in word and deed, He who is one in bounty and gentleness, He who is one in mercy and favor. He is one-gratitude and favors belong to no one but Him. No one has power and strength but He, and no one has with- holding and bestowal but He. When the rays of the sun of tawḤīd shine on the faithful, tawḤīd-voicing servant, his mark is that he is watchful over his rest and his movement. He does not take one breath without the permis- sion of the Shariah and the Tariqah. He weighs his outwardness in the scales of the Shariah and pulls his inwardness into the playing field of the Tariqah. He keeps his center point pure of relying upon either of them, for, as has been said, “The felicitous person is he who has an outwardness conforming to the Shariah, an inwardness following the Haqiqah, and a secret core quit of relying on his Shariah and his Haqiqah.” If he should rely one iota on himself, this is sheer Zoroastrianism and utter Judaism. O chevalier, if you fill up everything from the highest of the high to what is beneath the earth with acts of obedience and worship, that would not be equal to letting go of one iota of your self- hood so that you do not see yourself.
القول في تأويل قوله جل ثناؤه وتقدست أسماؤه: قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ (1)يقول تعالى ذكره لنبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم, وكان المشركون من قومه فيما ذكر عرضوا عليه أن يعبدوا الله سنة, على أن يعبد نبيّ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم آلهتهم سنة, فأنـزل الله معرفه جوابهم في ذلك: ( قُلْ ) يا محمد لهؤلاء المشركين الذين سألوك عبادة آلهتهم سنة, على أن يعبدوا إلهك سنة ( يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ) بالله ( لا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ ) من الآلهة والأوثان الآن ( وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ ) الآن( وَلا أَنَا عَابِدٌ ) فيما أستقبل( مَا عَبَدْتُمْ ) فيما مضى ( وَلا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ ) فيما تستقبلون أبدا( مَا أَعْبُدُ ) أنا الآن, وفيما أستقبل. وإنما قيل ذلك كذلك, لأن الخطاب من الله كان لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في أشخاص بأعيانهم من المشركين, قد علم أنهم لا يؤمنون أبدا , وسبق لهم ذلك في السابق من علمه, فأمر نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يؤيسهم من الذي طمعوا فيه, وحدّثوا به أنفسهم, وأن ذلك غير كائن منه ولا منهم, في وقت من الأوقات, وآيس نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من الطمع في إيمانهم, ومن أن يفلحوا أبدا, فكانوا كذلك لم يفلحوا ولم ينجحوا, إلى أن قتل بعضهم يوم بدر بالسيف, وهلك بعض قبل ذلك كافرا.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل, وجاءت به الآثار.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثني محمد بن موسى الحَرشي, قال: ثنا أبو خلف, قال: ثنا داود, عن عكرِمة, عن ابن عباس: أن قريشا وعدوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يعطوه مالا فيكون أغنى رجل بمكة, ويزّوجوه ما أراد من النساء, ويطئوا عقبه, فقالوا له: هذا لك عندنا يا محمد, وكفّ عن شتم آلهتنا, فلا تذكرها بسوء, فإن لم تفعل, فإنا نعرض عليك خصلة واحدة, فهي لك ولنا فيها صلاح. قال: " ما هي؟" قالوا: تعبد آلهتنا سنة: اللات والعزى, ونعبد إلهك سنة, قال: " حتى أنْظُرَ ما يأْتي مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبّي", فجاء الوحي من اللوح المحفوظ: ( قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ) السورة, وأنـزل الله: قُلْ أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَأْمُرُونِّي أَعْبُدُ أَيُّهَا الْجَاهِلُونَ ... إلى قوله: فَاعْبُدْ وَكُنْ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ .حدثني يعقوب, قال: ثنا ابن عُلَية, عن محمد بن إسحاق, قال: ثني سعيد بن مينا مولى البَختري (1) قال: لقي الوليد بن المُغيرة والعاص بن وائل, والأسود بن المطلب, وأميَّة بن خلف, رسول الله, فقالوا: يا محمد, هلمّ فلنعبد ما تعبد, وتعبدْ ما نعبد, ونُشركك في أمرنا كله, فإن كان الذي جئت به خيرا مما بأيدينا، كنا قد شَرِكناك فيه, وأخذنا بحظنا منه; وإن كان الذي بأيدينا خيرا مما في يديك, كنت قد شَرِكتنا في أمرنا, وأخذت منه بحظك, فأنـزل الله: ( قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ ) حتى انقضت السورة .
This chapter of the Quran, containing six verses, was revealed in the last days of the Makkan period. In the beginning the Prophet used to address people as ‘O my people’ or ‘O my community’. But when in spite of completion of the arguments, the people did not accept him, he addressed them as ‘You who deny the Truth’. At this stage, in fact, this is a statement given directly by God. No human being enjoys the right to declare anyone a deniar. God asks the Prophet not to force non-believers into the faith. The Prophet’s duty was only to bear witness to the truth, spreading the message of God to everyone, without imposing it upon anyone. When, after 13 long years of unremitting efforts, people were not willing to believe, then the Prophet was told by God to say to the unbelievers, ‘I do not worship what you worship, nor do you worship what I worship.’ After the Prophet had fully conveyed God’s message to the people, He was exempted from obligation towards those who rejected his call. This chapter teaches us to practice tolerance towards non-Muslims and tells us to treat them with respect. In his mission to invite the people of Makkah to God’s path, the Prophet was filled with a sense of deep concern for the welfare of those he was addressing, and even though they heaped all sorts of oppression on him, he always beseeched God to guide them. The Prophet continued to do this steadfastly throughout the thirteen long years after receiving his prophethood in Makkah. Even after that, he did not refer to these people as kafirs on his own. It was only later that God revealed this commandment: ‘Say, ‘You who deny the truth’. From this it appears that it was only after these thirteen years of the Prophet’s dedicated mission in Makkah that God declared, those whom the Prophet had addressed but who had rejected him, as ‘deniers’, and it was then that God revealed this commandment.
Virtues and Characteristics of the Surah
Sayyidah ` A'shah ؓ reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has said that it is better to recite two surahs in the sunnah prayer of fajr, namely, the Surah Al-Kafirun and Surah Al-Ikhlas. [ Transmitted by Ibn Hisham as quoted by Mazhar ]. Ibn Kathir cites several traditions in which a large number of Companions report that they heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ often recite Surah Al-Kafiru` n and Al-Ikhlas in the sunnah prayer of fajr and maghrib. Some of the Companions requested the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to teach them some supplications to recite at the time of sleeping. He taught them to recite Surah Al-Kafirun and said that this will give them immunity from idolatry. [ Transmitted by Tirmidhi and Abu Dad ]. Sayyidna Jubair Ibn Mut'im ؓ says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked him whether he wished to be the happiest, most prosperous and well-to-do person among his comrades when he goes out on a journey. He replied: "Yes, Messenger of Allah, I certainly do wish that." The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him to recite the last five surahs of the Qur'an starting from Surah Al-Kafirun to the end, and to start every surah with Bismillah, and to end with Bismillah. Sayyidna Jubair ؓ says that in those days he used to be distressed, miserable and man of little provisions for journeys compared to his comrades. But when he started acting upon this teaching of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، he became more prosperous than others. [ Mazhari with reference to Abu Ya` la ]. Sayyidna Ali ؓ reports that once a scorpion bit the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ، so he asked for water and salt. He applied the water on the spot where the scorpion bit him, and he recited Surah Al-Kafirun, Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas. [ Mazhari ]
Cause of Revelation
Ibn Ishaq reports from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ that Walid Ibn Mughirah, ` As Ibn Wa'il, Aswad Ibn ` Abdul-Muttalib and Umayyah Ibn Khalaf approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and proposed a compromise to him to the effect that he should worship their idols for a year, and they would worship Allah for a year. [ Qurtubi ]. According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، as recorded in Tabarani, the pagans of Makkah proposed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : We shall give you so much of wealth that you will become the richest man in Makkah; we shall give you whichever woman you like in marriage; we are willing to follow and obey you as our leader on condition that you do not speak ill of our gods. If you do not agree to this, then let us agree that you worship our gods for a year and we would worship your God for another year" [ Mazhari ].
According to Abu Salih's report, Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ narrates that the pagans of Makkah made the following proposal for compromise: "At least touch some of our gods, we will believe in you." Upon this, Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) descended with Surah Al-Kafirun.
This Surah is the Surah of disavowal from the actions of the pagans, and enjoins the Muslims to worship Allah alone to the exclusion of all forms of pagan worship.
The Traditions cited above indicate that the pagans had made many proposals to the Holy Prophet ﷺ not once or in a single session, but on different occasions and in different sessions in the hope that at one time or another a compromise might be reached. Therefore, there was a need to respond to all the proposals definitely and decisively, and thus frustrate their hope once and for all. All these incidents might have taken place at different times and different places. The purport of the Surah is to prevent or prohibit any such compromise.
Verse [ 109:2] لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ (I do not worship that which you worship,) In this Surah, the statements are repeated. The repetition has been explained in different ways by different authorities. Bukhari explains it thus: When two identical, or near identical, expressions occur side by side, many commentators interpret one of them as happening in the present time and the other as going to happen in the future time. Thus there is no meaningless repetition. The second and the third verses refer to the present time, meaning 'I do not worship at the present time what you are worshipping, nor do you worship at the present time what I am worshipping'. That is, 'I believe in Oneness of Allah and worship Him only, whereas you believe in multiple gods and goddesses and worship them'. Verses [ 4 and 5] refer to the future time, meaning 'neither is there a possibility that I will ever worship what you are going to worship in the future, nor will you worship what I will persist in worshipping.' In other words, 'I will persist in my belief of Divine Oneness and worship of Him and you will persist in belief of multiple gods and goddesses and worship of them'. Maulana Ashraf Thanawi (رح) has preferred this interpretation in Bayan ul-Qur'an, (and the translation given above is based on it.) However, he disagrees with Bukhari’ s interpretation of the word din, which Bukhari interprets as 'the religion of disbelief and the religion of Islam' respectively, in verse [ 6] لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ "For you is your faith, and for me, my faith" meaning the proposed compromise or peace agreement is not acceptable. I shall continue to follow my faith and you may go on following your faith, and suffer its disastrous consequences. In Bayan ul-Qur'an, however, the word din has been interpreted as jaza' or 'retribution or requital'.
Ibn Kathir prefers another interpretation. He expounds that the particle ma is used in two ways: [ 1] as mawsulah or relative pronoun in the sense of al-ladhi [ that which ]; and [ 2] as masdariyah transforming into infinitive the verb it governs. In this Surah, the first ma is a relative pronoun in the sense of al-ladhi, and the second ma is an infinitival particle. Thus in verses [ 2 3] the particle is a relative pronoun and may be paraphrased thus: 'I do not worship the deities that you worship nor do you worship the One Whom I worship' and in verses [ 4 5] the particle is an infinitival particle and may be paraphrased thus: لَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ ' I will never adopt your mode or manner of worship, nor will you adopt the manner in which I worship'. In this way, verses [ 2 3] show that the objects of worship are different from each other, and verses [ 45] show the differences in the modes of worship. In sum, 'neither our objects of worship, nor our manner of worship, are commonly shared by us; they are different.' In this way, it is seen that there is no real repetition, because while the formal expressions might be identical or near identical, but deeper semantic meanings are different. The mode of worship was revealed to the Prophet by Allah and passed on to the Muslims through him. The pagan manner of worship is self-fabricated. Ibn Kathir prefers this interpretation, and says that this is the exact meaning that emanates from the credo of Islam: لا إلہ إلا اللہ محمد الرسول اللہ "There is no object worthy of worship except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah". Only the mode and manner of worship sanctioned by Allah is credible, and should be followed by Muslims. Ibn Kathir adds that the concluding verse لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ (For you is your faith, and for me, my faith) yields the sense of other verses in the Qur'an, as for instance in [ 10: 41] وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّي عَمَلِي وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ ; And if they belie you, say, for me, my deeds, and for you, your deeds and in [ 28:55] لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ (For us, our deeds, and for you, your deeds). Thus the sum total of the word din, according to Ibn Kathir, refers to the 'deeds of religion' and its purport would be the same as explicated in Bayan ul-Qur'an, in that each one will be requited for his own deeds.
Other commentators have interpreted the two sentences in a third way. According to them, the particle is retained in both places as a relative pronoun, and in both the sentence is taken as representing present tense. They in fact maintain that the repetition of the two sentences have been used as a rhetorical device and employed by deliberate design to secure emphasis. Not every repetition is unpleasant or meaningless, even though the same idea may be reiterated by the same wording, as for instance in [ 94: 56] فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا (Undoubtedly, along with hardship there is ease. Undoubtedly, along with hardship there is ease) Verse [ 6] is the repetition of verse [ 5] and is deliberately reiterated to secure emphasis, as well as to reject outright the several proposals made on different occasions. [ Ibn Kathir, Ibn Jarir ].
Peace Treaty with Unbelievers is Permissible in Some Cases but not in Others
Surah Al-Kafirun dismisses out of hand the many proposals of compromise offered by the pagans and declares dissociation from them. But the Holy Qur'an itself has said in [ 8:61] وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا (And if they tilt towards peace, you tilt towards it." that is, enter into peace treaty with the infidels or pagans or non-Muslims. Moreover, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ migrated to Madinah, he entered into peace treaty with the Jews. Therefore, some of the commentators have opined that Surah Al-Kafirun has been abrogated. Their basic argument pivots around the verse لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ (For you is your faith, and for me, my faith). They contend that this is apparently in conflict with the ordinances of jihad, but this is not true, because the verse does not guarantee, nor does it even permit the infidels to maintain their infidelity. It simply means what is stated in [ 28:55] لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ (For us, our deeds, and for you, your deeds), that is, as you sow, so shall you reap. In fact, the correct position held by the majority of the scholars is that this Surah is not abrogated. The proposals of compromise that were offered by the pagans at the time of the revelation of the present Surah are still prohibited, and the peace treaties allowed by 8:61 or entered into by the Holy Prophet ﷺ are still permissible. It is necessary to understand the circumstances and conditions of the treaty and take a proper decision accordingly. In one of his Traditions, the Holy Prophet ﷺ laid down the general principle of peace treaty with the infidels and pagans, thus: اَلاِصلحاً احَلّ حراماً او حرّم حلالاً (Every compromise is permitted except the one which turns prohibited things into lawful and lawful things into forbidden.) If the various peace proposals made by the pagans are carefully analyzed, they were all certainly and definitely purported to mix elements of pagan beliefs and practices with Islamic beliefs and practices, thus creating confusion; and in some cases they required Muslims to renounce Islam [ albeit temporarily ] and commit themselves to paganism. Surah Al-Kafirun denounces such treaties, and declares dissociation from paganism. Analyzing the peace pact with the Jews, on the other hand, it is seen clearly that it did not in any way require Muslims to denounce or renounce Islam, nor did it require them to mix elements of un-Islamic beliefs with the true faith. Islam is the religion that stands for tolerance, kindness, politeness and peace more than any other religion. However, all these ethical principles can be applied in the matters of human rights. There is no room for compromise in the matter of Divine Law or the basic tenets of Divine religion . Allah knows best!
Al-hamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Kafirun
Ends here
denounces such treaties, and declares dissociation from paganism. Analyzing the peace pact with the Jews, on the other hand, it is seen clearly that it did not in any way require Muslims to denounce or renounce Islam, nor did it require them to mix elements of un-Islamic beliefs with the true faith. Islam is the religion that stands for tolerance, kindness, politeness and peace more than any other religion. However, all these ethical principles can be applied in the matters of human rights. There is no room for compromise in the matter of Divine Law or the basic tenets of Divine religion. Allah knows best!
Which was revealed in Makkah
The Recitation of these Surahs in the Optional Prayers
It has been confirmed in Sahih Muslim from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited this Surah (Al-Kafirun) and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: "He is Allah One.") (112:1) in the two Rak`ahs of Tawaf. It is also recorded in Sahih Muslim in a Hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited these two Surahs in the two Rak`ahs (optional prayer) of the Morning prayer. Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn `Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited in the two Rak`ahs before the Morning prayer and the two Rak`ahs after the Sunset prayer on approximately ten or twenty different occasions,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O Al-Kafirun!") and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: " He is Allah One.") (112:1) Ahmad also recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I watched the Prophet twenty-four or twenty-five times reciting in the two Rak`ahs before the Morning prayer and the two Rak`ahs after the Sunset prayer,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O Al-Kafirun!") and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: "He is Allah One.") (112:1)" Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "I watched the Prophet for a month and he would recite in the two Rak`ahs before the Morning prayer,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O Al-Kafirun.") and
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Say: "He is Allah One.") (112:1)" This was also recor- ded by At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and An-Nasa'i. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan." It has already been mentioned previously in a Hadith that it (Surat Al-Kafirun) is equivalent to a fourth of the Qur'an and Az-Zalzalah is equivalent to a fourth of the Qur'an.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Declaration of Innocence from Shirk
This Surah is the Surah of disavowal from the deeds of the idolators. It commands a complete disavowal of that. Allah's statement,
قُلْ يأَيُّهَا الْكَـفِرُونَ
(Say: "O disbelievers!") includes every disbeliever on the face of the earth, however, this statement is particularly directed towards the disbelievers of the Quraysh. It has been said that in their ignorance they invited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to worship their idols for a year and they would (in turn) worship his God for a year. Therefore, Allah revealed this Surah and in it
He commanded His Messenger to disavow himself from their religion completely
Allah said,
لاَ أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
(I worship not that which you worship.) meaning, statues and rival gods.
وَلاَ أَنتُمْ عَـبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
(Nor will you worship whom I worship.) and He is Allah Alone, Who has no partner. So the word Ma (what) here means Man (who). Then Allah says,
وَلاَ أَنَآ عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلاَ أَنتُمْ عَـبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
(And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping. Nor will you worship whom I worship.) meaning, `I do not worship according to your worship, which means that I do not go along with it or follow it. I only worship Allah in the manner in which He loves and is pleased with.' Thus, Allah says,
وَلاَ أَنتُمْ عَـبِدُونَ مَآ أَعْبُدُ
(Nor will you worship whom I worship.) meaning, `you do not follow the commands of Allah and His Legislation in His worship. Rather, you have invented something out of the promptings of your own souls.' This is as Allah says,
إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الاٌّنفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى
(They follow but a guess and that which they themselves desire, whereas there has surely come to them the guidance from their Lord!) (53:23) Therefore, the disavowal is from all of what they are involved. For certainly the worshipper must have a god whom he worships and set acts of worship that he follows to get to him. So the Messenger and his followers worship Allah according to what He has legislated. This is why the statement of Islam is "There is no God worthy of being worshipped except Allah, and Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah." This means that there is no (true) object of worship except Allah and there is no path to Him (i.e., way of worshipping Him) other than that which the Messenger came with. The idolators worship other than Allah, with acts of worship that Allah has not allowed. This is why the Messenger said to them,
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ
(To you be your religion, and to me my religion.) This is similar to Allah's statement,
وَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقُل لِّى عَمَلِى وَلَكُمْ عَمَلُكُمْ أَنتُمْ بَرِيئُونَ مِمَّآ أَعْمَلُ وَأَنَاْ بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
(And if they belie you, say: "For me are my deeds and for you are your deeds! You are innocent of what I do, and I am innocent of what you do!") (10:41) and He said,
لَنَآ أَعْمَـلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـلُكُمْ
(To us our deeds, and to you your deeds.) (28:55) Al-Bukhari said, "It has been said,
لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ
(To you be your religion.) means disbelief.
وَلِىَ دِينِ
(and to me my religion.) means, Islam. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Qul ya Ayyuhal-Kafirun.